Valve-actuating mechanism for concrete mixers



April 3, 1928.

A. A. M CREE VALVE ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR CONCRETE MIXERS Filed April 30. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jwumtoc v1.5. 210066 atbozwuri lllllllllllIIIIIIIIIIIIH \lllll llIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIH April 3, 1928.

A. A. M CREE VALVE ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR CONCRETE MIXBRS Filed April 30. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 3 1928.

UNIT-ED STATES;

ANDREWYA. MCCREE, OF PAUL, MINNESOTA.

VALVE-ACTUATING-MECHANISM r03 cononn'rn mrxn'ns.

Application filed April 30, 1926. Serial No. 105,847.

The present invention appertains to novel means for automatically operating the water control valve used in conjunction with con.- crete-mixers, and is particularly adapted to 5 that type of balanced valve disclosed in my co-depending application Serial Number 55,748, filed September 11th, 1925.

As set forth in my prior application just mentioned, the mixer apparatus embodies a 1 double water tank arrangement by means of which a measured quantity of water for a mix is always in readiness for the next batch of aggregates, one tank refilling with water while the other is discharging its contents, 15 such action being under the control of areciprocatable valve member, movements in opposite directions of which establish communication between the respective tanks and the mixer. I desire it to be understood, however, that I do not limit its utility to the particular type of valve referred to.

Primarily, however, the problem has been to devise an operating mechanism which is capable of shifting the valve mechanism in corelation to and under the control of movement of the skip in eifecting its discharge of the aggregates into the mixer. Tobe more specific, the shifting of the valve when controlled from the skip as most to be desired, must take place only on the discharging or elevating movement of the skip and not on its lowering movement. Further than this, the operative connections made for this purpose must permit certain degrees of movements of the skip without entailing any shift of the valve, in order that requisite normal operations of the apparatus may not be interfered with. 1 r

Broadly speaking, my invention comprehends a novel mechanical movementwherein a single reciprocationof the operated means is produced by two reciprocations of the operating means, acting in one I direct-ion only. My invention, therefore, has for its primary object the provision of a valve actuator so constructed and arranged as to impart one to-and-fro movement to the valve to two such movements of the skip.

A further objective is to provide actuatin v 1 -mechanism embodying a link motion, so-

called, operable by the hoisting means for the skip to shift the water valve, the construction of said link motion being such that the skip maybe given incrementsof movement from its lowered as well as from its -one end of the valve casing,

elevated or charging position without effectlng any movement of said valve. Other novel ChELIflCtQI'lStlCS reside in the provision of adjusting means for regulating the time of opening of the valve and for regulating also the throw of the'valve actuator.

. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims. y 1.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a concrete mixer with my valve actuating mechanism applied thereto;

Figure 2 1s a-fragmentary plan view. showing the arrangement of the water control well known type of concrete mixer including 7 the mixer drum B, the skip O, and its hoisting cable D. The hoisting cable passes over the'sheave E mounted at the top of the frame F and aroundthe windingdrum G. Mounted. above the mixer drumis a pair :of .water tanks H, the outflow pipes I of which communicate with a valve casing J. From the opposite ends of this casing the water is delivered to the mixer by the pipe K under the control of the double piston valve L,to which is connected the valverod M extending from This apparatus is well known and fully set forth in my prior application hereinbefore referred to, and for these reasons need not be more specifically described herein. It suffices tosay that the mechanism which forms the subject matter of the present invention is operably connectedto the valve rod M to impart back and forthmovement to the valves whereby the contents of the water tanks may be alternately delivered to the mixer.

On the upright of the frame F, and approximately on a level with the valve casing J I pivotally-secure a double bell crank lever bell crank 5 (Figure 2)- which in turn is connected to the valve rod I by the link 6. Obviously movement of the bell crank 1 from its full lineposition of Figure 3 to the dotted line position will shift the valve rod in one direction and its movement in the opposite direction will return the valves to the original position.

Mounted upon a guide rod or support 7 attached to the frame Fis a cross head or slide 8, said slide having a stud 9 projecting therefrom. To this I stud, one end of an actuating rod 10 .is connected, said rod having a roller at its other end projecting into the slot 2 of the bell crank 1 and in the operation of the device as hereinafter ex plained the roller finds a seat in a dwell 3. The'stud 9 also has mounted thereupon one end of a connector rod 12, the other end of whichis adjustably connected to a stirrup 13, in turn mounted upon the axle 14: of a sheave 15. The sheave is mounted between the sides of the strap arm '16 which is swingingly mounted on the axle E of the sheave E. In order to adjust the arc of this strap arm 16 a series of openings 17 is provided, this adjustment being one of the main features of my mechanism. It will be apparent from a consideration of Figure 3 that the sheave 15 coacts with the hoisting cable D for the skip which in the hoisting movement of the skip functions to raise the slide 8 hereinbefore mentioned. As the slide moves upwardly the roller 11 on the end of the rod 10 engages in the seat 3 in the lower end of the slot 2 and continued upward movement of the slide rocks the bell crank lever about its pivot as shown in'dotted lines in Figure 3. Such movement in turn actuates the rod 4, the bell crank 5 and finally the valve rod I. This movement of the valves is timed to take place at the proper moment coinciding with the charging of the mixer by the skip.

As soon as the contents of the skip have been charged into the mixer the skip is allowed to descend to its loading position, which in turn permits the slide 8 to drop downwardly to its lowermost position, the end of the rod 10 sliding along the slot 2 until the roller 11 reaches the opposite end of said slot. Under such a condition it will be apparent that the water control valves were not actuated, which is the desirable condition because the water from one of the tanks H is flowing into the mixer while the other of the tanks H is being refilled through the water supply N. However, on the next elevation of the skip the roller 11 is again engaged in. the dwell at the lower end of the slot 2 and the bell crank 1 is shiftedin the opposite direction to that first described. Such movement drives the valve rod in the opposite direction, effecting a shifting of the valves and the flow of the water into the mixer with the charging of the aggregates from the skip. The lowering movement of the skip takes scribed, without an actuation of the valve mechanism, so that as hereinbefore premised mentsof the skip are required to make one place again as before de-' complete reciprocation of the valve rod,

owing to the one-way action of, the mechanism connected thereto.

The timing of the valves so that the outi flow of the water from the tanks takes place at the proper time, may be adjusted by the adjustment of the strap arm 16, as before mentioned. By screwing the connector rod skip may be raised from its contact withthe surface a short distance as when it is desired to move the mixer apparatus, without effect ing any actuation of the valve mechanism, and'in like manner when the'skip is in its charging position this arrangement of the parts permits the customary oscillation of the skip to jar'loose the materials from the skip in the charging of the mixer with "the contents.

Ii aving'thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to'secure by Let ters Patent is r 1. Inconcrete mixing apparatus, the combination with a valve device and mixer chargingmeans, of an operating connection between said device and charging means and arranged to be actuated upon successive charging movements only of said means.

2. In. concrete mixing apparatus, the combination with a valve device and mixer charging means, of an actuator connected to said valve device. and means intermediate the charging means and the actuator operable to shift the latter in opposite directions upon successive charging movements of the charging means. V

3. In concrete mixing apparatus, the "combination with a valve device and mixer charging means, of an oscillatory actuator llli I 1 ,ee4,427

4. In concrete mixing apparatus, the combination with a valve device and mixer charging means, of an oscillatory actuator connected to said valve device, and reciproeating means operable in one direction to shift the actuator and in the opposite direction without shifting the same whereby two complete reciprocations of the reciprocating means produce one complete oscillation of the actuator.

5. In concrete mixing apparatus, the combination of a control valve, a loading skip, means for shifting the skip from loading to charging position, and actuating mechanism for said control valve operable'only from said shifting means.

6. In concrete mixing apparatus, the combination of a mixer control member, an oscillatory member connected thereto, and a reciprocable member having sliding connection with said oscillatory. member for actuating and non-actuating movements thereof. b

7. In concrete mixing apparatus, the combination of a mixer control member, a bell crank connected thereto, and a slidable actuator connected to said bell crank in such manner as to shift the control member in opposite directions by a shift of the actuator from one side of the axis of the bell bell crank connected'thereto, skip hoisting means, and a rod operable by said means and having a connection with said bell crank.

10. In concrete mixing apparatus, the.

combination of a. water control valve, a double bell crank connected thereto, skip hoisting means, and means swingingly supported in the path of the hoisting means and connected to said bell crank for shifting the latter in opposite directions.

11. In concrete mixing apparatus, the combination of a-water control valve, actuating mechanism therefor including a bell crank having opposing lever arms, a slide member shiftably connected thereto and any actuating rod connected at one end to the slide member, and a skip hoisting cable 00- operative with the other end of the actuating rod.

12. In concrete mixing apparatus, the combination of a water control valve actuating mechanism therefor including a bell crank having opposing lever arms, a slide member shiftably connected thereto and an actuating rod connected at one end to the slide member, a skip hoisting cable 00- operative with the other end of the actuating rod, a loading skip, and means for controlling the movement of the rod in relation to movement of the skip.

13. Valve actuating mechanism for concrete mixers, comprising an oscillatory member, a reciprocating member and aconnector said means adapted to actuate the device in the charging movement of said means.

15. In a concrete mixing apparatus, the combination with a valve device and a charging skip, of a cable for elevating the skip, and means actuated in the cable move ment for operating the valve device.

16. In concrete mixing apparatus, the combination of a pair of water tanks, a

water control valve common thereto, an oscillatory member connected thereto, and means for actuating said oscillatory member to impart movement to and fro to the control member upon successive actuating movements of said means.

17 In concrete mixing apparatus, the combination of a pair of water tanks, a valve common thereto movable in one direction to discharge one tank and in the other direction to discharge the secondtank, an oscillatory member connected to the valve, and mixer charging means shiftably connected to said oscillatory member to impart movements in opposite directions thereto upon successive charging movements.

In testimony whereof I atfixmy signature.

ANDREW A. MQCREE. 

